Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “benefit” come from?

Benefit comes from Middle English benefytt, from Middle English benfet, from Middle French bienfait, derived from Middle French bienfaire meaning to do good, from Middle French bien and Old French bien combined with Latin facio meaning to do.

benefit (English): An advantage; help or aid from something; A...

Definitions

  1. An advantage; help or aid from something; A...

Ancestry of “benefit”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbenefytt—
2Middle Englishbenfet—
3Anglo-Normanbenfetwell-done
4Old Frenchbienfet—
5Old Frenchbienfaireto do good, do well
6Old Frenchbienwell; indeed; possession; object of value
7Latinbenewell; properly, exactly; agreeably, favorably
8Latinbonusgood, honest, brave, noble, kind, pleasant;...
9Old LatinduenosAlternative form of duonus
10Proto-Italicdwenosgood
11Proto-Indo-Europeandew-to show favour, revere; to fail, to lag, to be...

Words derived from “benefit”

  • benefits
  • disbenefit
  • benefiter
  • benefitless
  • benefiteth
  • benefitable
  • benefitest
  • benefittest
  • e-benefits
  • benefitteth
  • benefit
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dew- →